Sports
Aaron Donald used his strength, mind and humor to power a bigger-than-football persona
The Rams’ 2023 season had ended.
An emotional defeat in an NFC wild-card game at Detroit closed a successful run for star defensive lineman Aaron Donald and his mostly younger teammates.
Disappointment coursed through the visiting locker room at Ford Field, but players said they were proud of what they accomplished, and looked forward to next season.
After speaking with Donald and his teammates, reporters made their way toward the exit.
Suddenly, from behind, Hulk-sized hands landed on my shoulders. Forearms that felt like iron cannons pressed down on my back.
Soon it registered.
Aaron Donald had me in his grip.
Now that Donald, a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer, has announced his retirement after a 10-year career with the Rams, I reflect on that moment.
For eight years, since the Rams moved back to Los Angeles from St. Louis, I watched quarterbacks helplessly find themselves wrapped up in Donald’s clutches. The three-time NFL defensive player of the year routinely — and violently — smashed them to the turf.
During training camp and portions of in-season practice sessions, I got a close-up view as the muscle-bound and cat-quick Donald perfected his craft.
One drill in particular always spurred intrigue. Donald shuffled through a line of tackling dummies, wickedly slapping them at head height along the way. How could opposing players absorb such blows?
Aaron Donald takes part in a drill at practice.
Several years ago, my fascination led to a what-were-you-thinking? situation.
Donald was scheduled to speak with reporters in the locker room. But first, longtime teammate and wingman Michael Brockers fielded questions at his locker next to Donald’s.
Much like he often did on the field, Donald sensed an opening. A gap. So he made a lightning-quick move to skip out of the room.
Instinctively, albeit foolishly, I leaped into his path.
A colleague audibly gasped. At 6 feet 1 and 285 pounds, Donald might have initially been regarded as undersized for an NFL defensive tackle. But not when face to face with a reporter 30 years his senior.
Donald took a step to his right, then another to his left.
Like an undrafted free-agent running back trying to make the roster, I held my ground. Comically, I might have even raised my hands to block him.
“C’mon, Aaron,” I said, laughing nervously.
Donald chuckled, shook his head and returned to his locker to answer questions.
Not that he always appreciated them, especially when pressed after offering vague first or second answers about his contract situation or other uncomfortable topics. Ultimately, though, he never refused to articulate his thoughts. And he usually did so with a grin.
In 2019, a trip to Donald’s hometown of Pittsburgh provided a window into his personality and how he became one of the greatest players in NFL history.
For a visitor, descending the steps to the dark and musty basement of his boyhood home on Churchland Street was unforgettable.
Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was still using his old weight-lifting and exercise equipment in the basement of his childhood home well into his NFL career whenever he visited home. He calls the space “The Dungeon.”
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
“Welcome to the Dungeon,” said his father, Reggie Donald Jr., a former powerlifter who molded his son into a workout colossus on the spartan basement equipment.
Another comment that resonated came from Donald’s older sister, Akita.
Sometimes when her then-chubby brother got angry as a youngster, she noted, he threatened to run away. He packed a book bag full of snacks and left the house.
“Ten to 15 minutes later,” she said, “guess who’s back with no shoes on, eating all the snacks?”
That image never left my mind. Especially when Donald, muscles rippling, proudly appeared shirtless for news conferences during training camp. Or when he projected a shirtless image of himself in a bodybuilder pose as the background during Zoom calls with reporters.
During his zoom conference call with reporters, Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald used a photo of himself flexing as his background.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
Donald used that strength and his smarts to make one-of-a-kind plays, none bigger than when he pressured Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to clinch Super Bowl LVI at SoFi Stadium.
Afterward, Donald ran elatedly across the field pointing to his left index finger, as if he was screaming to the world, “Ring Me!”
I had heard Donald at full volume in the aftermath of another significant win.
In 2017 at Tennessee, in the locker room after the Rams clinched the NFC West for the first time since 2003, a joyful Donald yelled so loudly that it almost knocked me over.
He loved to win — and hated to lose.
Tears rolled down his cheeks as he stood on the sideline during a divisional-round playoff defeat at Green Bay that ended the 2020 season. He came back the next season and helped lead the Rams to their Super Bowl victory.
After that win, Donald answered questions while seated at a podium, then rode with his kids on the back of a cart to the locker room. He looked at peace.
Rams defensive end Aaron Donald celebrates after sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to clinch the Rams’ victory in Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13, 2022.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Two years later, there we were in a locker room in Detroit.
After Donald answered a few questions, another reporter noted the joy and energy the Rams young defense exhibited during their run to the playoffs, and asked Donald if he was eager to carry it forward.
“For sure,” he said.
I followed with another question.
“So, in terms of continuing to play,” I began, “you’re going to continue to play?”
Donald chuckled.
“We going to see,” he said. “I’m proud of this team. I’m proud of this group, you know, we got a lot more football left.”
I followed again.
“So you are?” I asked, “Or we’re going to see?”
Aaron Donald celebrates with his children while riding on the back of a golf cart at SoFi Stadium following the Rams’ victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI on Feb. 13, 2022.
(Gary Klein / Los Angeles Times)
Donald laughed and asked why I asked that question.
The session was over.
A few moments later, I was engulfed from behind, a loud voice in my ear.
“Gary!” Donald said with a hearty laugh as he squeezed me, ”Man, how can you ask me that question when we just lost the game and got off the field?”
He kept walking and exited the room.
One day, I hope we meet up again.
I’ll congratulate him on a great career and thank him for his professionalism, cooperation and his humor.
I’ll probably shake his hand.
Or perhaps I’ll pull him in.
And wrap him up.
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After a slow first round at Aronimink Golf Club in Philadelphia on Thursday, pace of play was a point of emphasis at the PGA Championship on Friday.
However, when an official approached Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley, they became animated.
Thomas, a longtime Team USA Ryder Cup member, and Bradley, last year’s United States captain, were on the fourth hole when they were approached by an official in a cart, and the conversation quickly turned into finger-pointing.
Justin Thomas and Keegan Bradley watch from the tenth green during the second round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 2026. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
Thomas said after the round that he, Bradley and fellow USA Ryder Cupper Cameron Young, who won the Cadillac Championship earlier this month, were put on the clock, with the official telling them to pick up the pace. However, both Bradley and Thomas appeared to point at the group in front of them.
“We just didn’t really agree with it,” Thomas said, citing course conditions, high winds and tough pins. “We were behind. That wasn’t our issue… It’s just the fact that we weren’t holding up the group behind us.”
Thomas said they were caught up with the pace on the very next hole.
Justin Thomas plays his shot on the 15th tee during the second round of the PGA Championship in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on May 15, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
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Thomas had a lengthy conversation with the official, while Bradley appeared to make his point short and sweet — though he was definitely not happy with the call.
It is a large PGA Championship field, with 156 golfers at the course and groups even starting their rounds on the back nine. The scores have also been rather high, with just 25 players below par at the time of publishing.
Aronimink also features a shared tee box on 1 and 10, holes 9 and 17 crossing paths, and a lengthy par-3 eighth hole that’s causing problems. Three par-3s are over 200 yards on the course, and there is also a 457-yard par 4 on the fourth.
Keegan Bradley prepares to putt on the 14th green during the first round of the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, on May 14, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)
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As Chris Gotterup put it on Friday, “You’re not going to get any four-and-a-half hour rounds out here.”
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The Sparks are finally in the win column, but the outcome was in doubt late Friday night.
Behind double-digit scoring from all five starters, the Sparks had by far their best offensive showing of the season, shooting 63.8% during a 99-95 win over the expansion Toronto Tempo.
The Tempo didn’t make things easy, cutting the deficit to two points late and later trailing by just three with 31 seconds remaining and possession of the ball. Marina Mabrey missed a three-point attempt before late Tempo fouls gave the Sparks enough of a cushion to win.
Kelsey Plum nearly claimed a double-double with 27 points and nine assists, while Dearica Hamby had 19 points with seven rebounds and Nneka Ogwumike scored 20 points.
Erica Wheeler, who started in place of Ariel Atkins (concussion), scored 10 points with seven assists and was a plus-16 as the primary ball handler after starting the season two for 16 from the field. That freed up Plum to be in position to score, setting up a much more efficient Sparks offense.
Toronto was shorthanded in the frontcourt without starting center Temi Fagbenle (right shoulder), and the Sparks trio of bigs had a field day with 54 points in the paint.
The Sparks came out firing on Friday, opening with a 17-2 run.
The Tempo went on a 10-0 burst heading into the second quarter but the Sparks countered to maintain momentum and led 46-38 at halftime.
A Wheeler three-pointer early in the third quarter gave the Sparks a 20-point lead. The Tempo cut it to three midway through the fourth while Brittany Sykes (27 points, seven assists) sparked Toronto’s rally. The Tempo put up more shots than the Sparks, 70-58, largely because of a 10-2 offensive-rebounding gap.
Cameron Brink’s 10 points were the only ones provided by the Sparks’ bench, while the Tempo got 42 points from reserves.
Toronto was coming off its first win in franchise history on Wednesday when it defeated Seattle but struggled against a more complete offensive team in the Sparks.
In her return to Los Angeles after winning a national championship with UCLA this spring, Tempo rookie Kiki Rice netted 11 points.
Kate Martin made her Sparks debut as a developmental player with Atkins and Sania Feagin (lower left leg) unavailable and picked up one rebound in six minutes.
The Sparks will face Toronto again on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.
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The WNBA season has been in session for about a week, so it is far too early to make assumptions about teams. That doesn’t mean we won’t make them; it’s just too early to really believe it. I lost my first WNBA bet this season, so I’m hoping to avenge that loss here as the Sky take on the Mercury.
The Chicago Sky are one of the most poorly run franchises in basketball. They have had some great names on their team and only one championship to show for it.
Phoenix Mercury forward DeWanna Bonner shoots over Indiana Fever guard Aerial Powers in the first half at PHX Arena. (Rick Scuteri/Imagn Images)
There really isn’t a clear indication of what is wrong with the franchise, but they’ve never been able to retain their talent. Aside from Kamilla Cardoso, I can’t name a player on this team that they’ve actually drafted. They just seem to get good players and then show them the door.
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Even though they’ve had questionable front office decisions, they seem to have put together a solid team for this season – something I didn’t expect before the season started.
They are 2-0, which is too early to really say they are a good team. I also want to reserve judgment until they face a team with a longer history than last year. The Portland Tempo played their first-ever game against the Sky, and Golden State was good last year, but still is in just their second season of existence.
The Phoenix Mercury are actually considered one of the best franchises in the league. I’m sure there are issues that people have reported, but for the most part, they have good facilities, and people want to play for their team. They made it all the way to the WNBA Finals last season before falling to the Las Vegas Aces. This year, they are looking to restart that journey and see if they can win the last game of the year.
Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper dribbles the ball in the second half at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C., on July 27, 2025. (Emily Faith Morgan-Imagn Images)
It will need to come with some better play than they’ve shown through three games this year. They are just 1-2 for the year with a 0-1 home record. The lone win was a blowout victory over the Aces (a clear revenge game if we’ve ever seen one). Then they lost the next two games against Golden State and Minnesota. Losing to the Lynx wouldn’t be a problem, but they didn’t have Napheesa Collier, who still has an ankle injury.
I expect the Mercury to make some adjustments for this game. They haven’t looked very crisp to begin the year, but they’ve been strong on offense, averaging 87 points per game.
The Sky are going to keep relying on their offense to do just enough and their defense to lock in. The Sky do have an edge on the interior, so they can get buckets fairly easily down low. I like the over 166.5 in this game.
Chicago Sky guard Skylar Diggins chases the ball during the fourth quarter against the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on May 13, 2026. (Bob Kupbens/Imagn Images)
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I also think it is worth betting on Kahleah Copper to go over her point total. Copper had two rough games before she broke out in the last game. Now she has the same sight lines and can attack the bigs from the Sky with her athleticism. Since going to Phoenix, she has scored 29, 7, 16, 25 and 28 points in five games against them.
For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024
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